How to Fix Unbalanced Washer Loads

Give the load a closer look

When your laundry is still wet and the spin has stopped, we'd check the load first because unevenly distributed or overly heavy clothing can make the washer stop spinning to avoid damage. That gives you something useful to correct before choosing how to continue the cycle.

Look at both how the clothes are distributed and how much laundry is in the basket. Spreading clothing addresses uneven weight distribution; reducing the load addresses overloading. Maytag's load guidance (opens in a new tab) gives the same two remedies for its washers, so the basic load check carries across both brands.

What the noise and wet clothes can tell you

Loud spin-cycle noise, excessive shaking and clothes left wet can all point to unevenly distributed laundry. A significant imbalance can also make the washer stop spinning, leaving you with a load that needs rearranging before it can continue.

The connection is the basket's movement as spinning begins. When clothing isn't distributed evenly, that movement can bring vibration, reduced spin speed and a longer cycle, as well as noise. A wash that takes longer and leaves wetter clothes can therefore be part of the same load problem.

Whirlpool identifies the spin portion, after washing has finished, as the typical point for an imbalance error. That timing matters when deciding what to run next: a load that has already been washed may only need its remaining water extracted.

Whirlpool worked example when you can pause

On a Whirlpool Top Load HE Washer, refilling followed by gentle back-and-forth rotation can be the machine trying to redistribute the clothing itself. If that self-correction fails to even out the load, it displays an error message.

The following controls are the Whirlpool Top Load HE Washer procedure (opens in a new tab). Use this pause branch when the cycle can be paused; use the error branch in the next section when an imbalance error is present.

1. Press Start to pause the cycle. The cycle should be paused before you open the lid.
2. Open the lid, rearrange the clothing or reduce the load size, leaving the clothes more evenly distributed in the basket.
3. Securely close the lid, then press Start to restart. The washer can resume the cycle with the corrected load.

Closing the lid is part of getting the washer running again: its lid or door switch allows operation only when the lid is securely closed. Finish that step after handling the clothing and before pressing the restart control.

Whirlpool worked example when an error is present

An imbalance error puts you on Whirlpool's cancellation path. Here, the order includes draining any water that's present before arranging the clothing for a new cycle. The error-present procedure (opens in a new tab) gives two alternative ways to cancel.

1. Cancel the cycle by pressing Start or by disconnecting the power cord. Use either cancellation option so the current cycle is canceled.
2. If water is present, run a drain-only cycle with the lid securely closed. Let that cycle drain the water.
3. Before starting a new cycle, rearrange the clothing and remove some items if needed. Leave the load evenly distributed and the basket free of overload.
4. Securely close the lid before running the new cycle. The corrected load is then ready for the washer to operate.

If washing has already finished and you only need to extract water, you can choose Drain & Spin after rearranging the load. That optional cycle serves a different purpose from the earlier drain-only step: it extracts water from the washed garments.

Leave room and balance the weight

For your next Whirlpool top-load HE load, add clothing in loose heaps spread evenly around the basket. Keep the clothes loose as you add them, and don't overload: Whirlpool's fill boundary is the top row of holes in the wash basket.

Balance heavy items with lighter ones to help maintain even distribution during spinning. This makes the mix of clothing worth checking alongside the height of the load; staying below the fill boundary and distributing the weight address different parts of loading.

Don't wash a single absorbent article by itself, such as one rug. Whirlpool's loading guidance (opens in a new tab) calls for two or three garments to balance the load for a good spin. A small item count still needs a balanced arrangement.

Match the cycle to the clothing

Read the clothing care labels before choosing a cycle, including when you're changing settings after an imbalance. The appropriate setting depends on the fabrics and the type of load you're washing.

For Whirlpool top-load HE washers, Bulky is the suggested choice for large loads or oversized items when their care labels allow it. Delicate cycles suit lighter fabrics, while heavy-duty cycles suit bulky items, again subject to the garments' care instructions.

Whirlpool also suggests trying Bulky or Heavy Duty when starting a new cycle after correcting an imbalance error, provided the clothing care labels permit that choice. Keep that suggestion tied to suitable laundry: the cycle-selection guidance (opens in a new tab) makes the care label the deciding condition.

Check the spin result against the cycle

After restarting, watch whether the washer resumes spinning and extracts water from the rearranged load. Those are the useful outcomes of correcting a load that was too heavy or unevenly distributed.

Judge the remaining moisture alongside the selected cycle. Gentle, delicate and handwash cycles use slower spins to protect fabrics from stretching and wrinkling, and those slower spins leave more water in the clothes.

If you want more water removed, select a higher-spin cycle only when the clothing care labels allow it. Whirlpool and Maytag identify Heavy Duty or Super selections as examples with higher spin speeds and less water left in the load; fabric protection still governs your choice.

Check how the Whirlpool washer sits

On the Whirlpool Top Load HE Washer, periodically check that every foot rests firmly on the ground. The machine also needs to be level in both directions, side to side and front to back, as part of preventing future balance issues.

For the Whirlpool stability check (opens in a new tab), use your hands to try rocking the washer diagonally, from corner to corner. If the washer rocks, it needs to be leveled.